Upper Class Bids??

Was hoping someone on here could clarify something for me.

I purchased an (S code)PE ticket LGW-LAS-LGW for myself. I then used my companion voucher to get a (P code) PE ticket for my OH. I also used my airmiles to get a (P code) PE ticket for my brother on the same flight.

For some reason all 3 tickets have been put on different Booking Reference codes, which doesn't really matter. However, when I went into choose seats for each of us I found to my amazement that both the (P code) tickets have the option of bidding for an upgrade to UC, yet my (S code) ticket which is supposed to be flexible did not have the option. Can anyone explain why this is??

That's the first I've heard of the bidding option being available for PE-UC - previously it's only been for Y-PE.

Has it been extended or was this just another VS IT glitch?

I doubt it was a glitch because I selected the "Bid" option and it took me to the next screen showing me an option for upgrading each legs. The minimum you could bid for each leg was £1445, upto a maximum of £4000.

If someone can tell me how to post a screenshot here I will do so.

For them prices I can't see too many takers

For them prices I can't see too many takers

Quite - at the moment the lowest UC cash fare to LAS seems to be about £3600 return.

So even if you bid the minimum for the upgrade (which presumably would only have a slim chance of being accepted) you're talking about nearly £2900, plus whatever taxes & fees you paid for the PE ticket, so not much of a saving.

I've always suspected the auction feature is just a marketing tool, designed to make you feel like you can grab a real bargain. Auctions are empowering: they make you feel like you're in control of setting the price of your ticket, and - if successful - that you've somehow "got one over" on the airline. But of course what it really is is just another sales tactic that could make VS some serious money if people are daft enough to bid more than the fare they could have paid to be in a higher cabin in the first place.

Has anyone ever actually been successful and got a genuine bargain through bidding?

Having said all that, extending it to UC would be an interesting development.

Mpase, I don't think it's got anything to do with the fare code, it's probably a not so random selection.

Like others have said, the bid prices aren't really worth it and you stand a better chance of getting a better priced upgrade by calling the FC line.